Neck band ironer



Aug. 22, 1939. i M HOU- OWAY 2,170,075

' NECK BAND IRONER Filed April 18, 1956 f 25 ator means.

Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NECK BAND IRONER Mayo Holloway, Birmingham, Ala.

Application April 18, 1936, Serial No. 75,087

10 Claims. (Cl. 38-110) My invention relates to a device for ironing and setting the neck bands of collar attached shirts.

^ My present ironer is an improvement on that describedin Letters Patent 2,051,854, issued to me August 25, 1936, which is characterized by the provision of a center element adapted to transmit heat to a spring band ironer surrounding, or substantially embracing, it, there being operating means by which the heated band ironer may be first, expanded into firm engagement with the neck band to vstretch it, then alternately expanded and contacted to make it slip within the closed neck band so as to iron it, and finally locked in neck band Stretching position under tension and in the presence of heat, to set the ironed neck band and collar while the ironing of the shirt body proceeds. v

In my said patent is shown a base having pivotally mounted thereon separable heating elements entirely encircled by a single spring ironing band which was caused to expand and contract responsive to the opening and closing of said heating members by suitable spring-pressed actu- The band-expanding elements were pivoted at the front of the ironer, and as they were swung apart to expand the band ironer they had a tendency to stretch the neck band laterally out of shape and to displace the front of the shirt forwardly while the iron rested on and held the back of the shirt in place on the ironing board. This displacement will prevent the shirt front from lying smoothly on, o-r evenly with, the back of the shirt on the ironing board, thereby necessitating the lifting of the ironer to permit a readjustment of the shirt before finish-ironing it. Except in this respect lthis type of ironer was satisfactory and effective.

One object of my present invention is soto design and mount the expander elements for the spring band ironer as to cause them when eX- panded not only to set the band ironer in the desired shape for stretching and shaping the neck band, but also, to draw the shirt front back so that it is brought into correct position in which it lies flat on the ironing board and even with the back of the shirt, thus permitting the finish ironing of the shirt to proceed without requiring any readjustment thereof while the ironer is setting the ironed neck band.

A further object of my invention is to form the band heating element as a main block, ovoid in I shape and provided with band expanding'wings or elements so mounted that as they swing out- 55 wardly and backwardly they will cause the band when expanded to set the neck band with the desired straight back effect.

My invention further contemplates mounting these expander blades or wings so that they collapse into pockets at the b-ack of the ironer blockf to be heated thereby, and I hinge them preferably near the center of the block so that as they are swung outwardly and rearwardly to expand the ironer band they will thrust it rearwardly and draw the front of the shirt smooth and even on 10 the ironer table and properly adjusted for the finish ironing thereof.

A further advantage of my present invention is that a single heater element can be used in the main block where the ironer is of the self heating .1 type, thus reducing its cost and simplifying its structure.

A further advantage of my invention is that my improved ironer will cause the band throughout its adjustments for different neck sizes to pre- 20 serve more nearly the correct shape of neck band, than where the block is divided and its half segments are hinged at the front of the ironer.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts 25 which, in their preferred embodiment only, are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of my improved ironer set into the closed neck band in position to stretch 30 or set the latter after it has been ironed, the Wing operating mechanism being shown in section on the line I-I of Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the ironer with the wings collapsed. 35

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View of the guide and latch means for the operating handle.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated,40 I show a main ovoid shaped heating block I0, which may be heated in any manner preferably by the introduction of an electric heating element I I having supply wires I2 leading thereto through a flexible guard I3. This heating element II may.45 have any desired shape and be interposed in any practical-or satisfactory manner Awithin the block Ill. As shown, it is a cylindrical heater set into a suitable opening to receive it near the center of the heating block. 50

Fast in the center of gravity of the heating block I mount a vertical standard I4 over the upper end of which is telescoped a vertically reciprocable sleeve I5 that carries at its top the ,handle I6. The sleeve carries oppostely eig-55' tending arms I'I having their ends downturned and formed with ball sockets I8 which receive the ball bearings at the upper ends of the crossed arms I9, which arms at their lower ends carry ball bearings engaged in similar ball sockets 20 on the wing expanders 2i for the spring ironing band 22.

'Ihese expanders 2l are of duplicate construction and are formed with hinge ears 23 which interleaf between ears formed at the back center of the block ill, and receive their respective hinge pin 24 which pivotally connects each wing tothe block.

It will be observed that the wings, when collapsed (see Fig. 2), are received in pockets (see- Fig. 1) formed in the rear end of the heating block I@ and terminating short of the base level of the block. Each pocket is formed by a vertical inwardly curved inner wall 25 and a bottom wall 26 formed by an extension of the base portion of the block which conforms to and completes its ovoid shape. When the wings are collapsed each substantially fills its pocket and contacts with the latters walls 25 and 26. The free tip edge 2l is rounded so that when a wing is in expanded position it will cause the spring ironing band to pass without too sharp a bend from its outer convex edge to the adjacent side edge of the bloc-k I so that the band 22 will by its own tension, as well as the constraint of the neck band, tend to embrace both elements Iii and 2l thereby to be not only held to its work but maintained heated.

I have shown the band ironer as formed by a single spring band designed to clasp, and when contracted, fully embrace the block I0, but this is merely the preferable arrangement as one or more springs may be effectively employed. I prefer, however, to use the single spring band shaped so that when embracing the collapsed wings and heating block, its free ends will substantially abut at the front tip of the heating block. The spring is loosely connected at its center to vthe top of the block at the center of its rear end by means of a slotted plate 28 suitably riveted to the top edge of the band above its ironing level and adapted to overhang the top edge of the block so as to receive a guide screw 29 that passes through the slot and connects the band to the block. This loose mounting permits the spring band to be shifted rearwardly bodily when the wings 2l are expanded and to spring forwardly as the wings contract, all the while maintaining snug engagement with the heating block throughout all operating positions except at maximum wing expansion it will bridge a gap formed between the wings. This spring, by its engagement with the block, yieldably resists the expansion of the expander wings 2| and therefore serves asa spring to resist the manually applied down thrust from the handle that expands the wings through the cross arms I9, and, when the handle is released, this spring means acts through those arms I9 to restore the sleeve and handle to initial position without requiring an up-pull on the handle that might displace the ironer. It will be understood that any spring means may be used to eiect the resetting of the wings 2i and the return of the handle I6 to initial position.

The standard lli is formed with ratchet teeth 30 thereon and a detent 3i is normally pressed by the spring 32 through a suitable guide 33 on the sleeve into engagement with said teeth. This detenthas an `operating lever 34 pivoted i claims.

on the sleeve in convenient position tobe held retracted by the hand that grasps the handle I6. A spring 32 normally presses the detent into engagement with the ratchet teeth. A set screw 38 engages as a key in a slot 31 in the standard I5.

A collar attached shirt 33 is shown laid out in correct position to present in upright position its neck band 33 which is held closed by a button di). The ironer, when contracted, is of a size to be conveniently set down into the neck band of the smallest standard size of shirts.

-In operation, having set the ironer down in the shirt collar, the handley I6 is grasped, and

the handle is pressed down, acting through the -cross arms I9 to force the wings 2| rearwardly about their vertical axes so that they will expand the ironer band 22 while pressing its back portion outwardly and also rearwardly against the backof the neck band. 'I'he spring pressed detent will engage teeth 38 and hold the wings expanded. This results in a forcing of the yoke and front of the shirt rearwardly and causes a shift in the front yoke seam 4I from its dotted to its full line position shown in Fig. 1. This draws the 'front back so that it lies flat and even on the back of the shirt.

After the ironer has been thus expanded into close engagement within the neck band 39 to stretch the latter, the operator may if desired retract lever 34 and give the handle a few short reciprocating strokes, causing the neck band ironer band 22 tocontract andY expand again and again, which produces additional slip movements of the heated band relative to and while pressed against the neck band and thus effectively and quickly irons the latter. The spring action of the band working against the tapered sides of the block draws it back to initial position as soon as the handle is released and this resets it ,and the handle for another positively driven ironing stroke.

. When the neck band- 39 has been thus suf`1- ciently ironed, the operator releases the ratchet lever 3d and gives the handle ya downward thrust which sets the ironer band iirmly expanded against the neck band. .In this position foraverage sized shirts the back edge of the band will present almost a straight line acrosswhich is the ideal shape for the finished collar opening to best conform. to the neck of a` wearer. The hot ironer band stands in this expanded position while the operator proceeds to iinish the ironing of the shirt in the usual mannen and the time required .for the nish ironing will be ample for the hot ironing band to set the ironed neck band. `The handle Iii is then grasped,'the lever retracted, and the ironer thereupon contracts so it can be lifted by its Vhandle freely from the ironed collar.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that itis not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only lsuch limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specically set forth inthe vappended What I claim is:

l. An ironer for neck bandsgcomprising a block adapted to fit into a closed neck band, a curved spring band ironer adapted to embrace and receive heat from` said block, Vmeans mounted on the block and movable: to guide andexpand the spring band outwardly and rearwardly against the neck band to stretch it, and movable means to actuate said expander means and cause the spring band to form and iron the stretched neck band.

2. In an ironer for neck bands, a neck band shaping block comprising a heating element, a curved spring band ironer embracing said block, means mounted for movement rearwardly of said block so :as to guide and force the spring band ironer outwardly and rearwardly away from said block to expand it against the back portion of a closed neck band until it stretches the neck band between it and the front end of the block, and means to move said expander means to expand said band ironer outwardly whereby the neck band is ironed.

3. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a heating block shaped to form the neck lband and adapted for reception in a closed neck band, a spring band ironer and means to mount it in position to embrace and be kept hot by said block and to have bodily movement relative thereto, wings hinged to the larger rear end of the block and movable rearwardly therefrom to expand the band ironer until it stretches the closed neck band, and means to move said wings and impart an ironing movement of the heated band ironer against the stretched neck band.

4. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a heating block shaped to form the neck band and adapted for reception in a closed neck band, a spring band ironer `and means. to mount it in position to embrace and be kept hot by said block and to have free bodily movement relative thereto, Wings hinged to the larger rear end of the block near its center and adapted to swing rearwardly therefrom to expand the band ironer until it stretches the closed neck band, and means to move said Wings and expand the heated band ironer.

5. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a heating block adapted to be freely received in the closed neck band of a shirt, a spring-band ironing means which embraces and presses against the block and is adapted to be heated thereby, means to slidably mount said band for free movement in a given plane rearwardly relative to said block with its free ends when collapsed substantially abutting at the front center of the block, band expander means hinged near the back center of the block, and manually operable means to move said exp anders and cause the band means to expand and contract while pressed against said neck band to iron it.

6. A neck band ironer comprising a solid ovoid shaped heating block, a vertical standard rigidly mounted in the block close to its center of gravity, a movable actuator slidable on said standard and comprising ratchet means to hold it in a set position, a single arcuate ironing b-and shaped to tightly embrace said heating block, a slidable connection between the rear larger end of the block near its center to guide the movements `bodily of said band andy the band near its center, rearwardly movable band expanders carried by the rear end of the block, and actuating arms fcr said expanders having universal joint connection between said actuator and expanders.

7. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a neck band former block adapted to be heated and shaped to be freely received in the closed neck band of a collar attached shirt, a spring band ironer embracing and adapted to be heated by said block, means to support said band in operable position free to move bodily rearwardly from said block in a given plane, expander elements pivotally mounted at the rear of the block for rearward swinging movement relatively to said block and adapted by engagement with said band iro-ner to thrust same bodily rearwardly against the back portion of the neck band, and means to operate said expander elements and cause said band ironer both to expand and stretch the neck band.

8. An ironer for neck bands, compris-ing an ovoid shaped heat-er block adapted to be freely received in the closed neck band of a co-llar attached shirt, a spring band ironer embracing said block, means to support said band in operable position free to move bodily rearwardly from said block in a given plane, band ironer engaging elem-ents mounted on and movable outwardly from said block and toward the back of the neck band to effect an expansion of said band ironer until it stretches saidy neck band and pulls it back, operating means freely reciprocable to actuate said expander elements and impart an ironing movement to the band ironer within a stretched neck band, and means to lock the band expander elements in position to set the ironed neck band.

9. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a curved expansible ironer adapted to be received in a closed neck band, an ironer heater means embraced b-y the band ironer and mounted to proivide a iixed thrust bearing for the ironer opposite the front of the neck band, rearwardly movable means to support and expand said band ironer bodily rearwardly and press it against the back of the neck band to stretch the latter, and an actuator to move said band expander means and hold it in position to stretch said neck band.

10. An ironer for neck bands, comprising a heater block designed to conform to the normal shape of the front portion of a closed neck band, a curved spring band ironer adapted to embrace and be heated by the marginal edges of said block, means mounted on the block and movable relatively thereto to support and expand the spring band outwardly and shift it bodily rearwardly against the back of the neck band tol stretch the latter, and movable means to actuate said expander means: and cause the spring band to both stretch and iron the neck band.

MAYO HOLLOWAY. 

